The Manipulation
by Numbuh296
Summary: Puzzle's thoughts when Shift betray's him in "The Last Battle". Oneshot. Rated T for violence.


_A/N: I actually wrote this for school. I hope you like it. If you do, leave a review. If not, still leave a review._

The Manipulation

"He has dressed himself up in a lion's skin," Shift, the ape, bellowed to the crowd of Narnians. "And is wandering about in these very woods pretending to be Aslan."

The crowd gasped. Unbeknownst to Shift, behind a stable that was behind him, sat the last king of Narnia, his unicorn, two children from our world, a dwarf, and the ape's friend Puzzle, the donkey. It seemed however, that Puzzle was more of Shift's servant than friend.

Recently, Shift had convinced Puzzle to pose as the Great Lion, the son of the Emperor over the Sea, as Aslan himself. Taking advantage of Puzzle's stupidity, and the animal's gullibility, Shift is able to convince Narnia that Puzzle is Aslan. He profits off of the work he pushes the Narnians to do.

But King Tirian, with the help of Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole from our world, helped free Puzzle. They took him, and revealed them to a group of dwarfs (with a negative effect). Tonight, they were going to reveal the ape's plot to the creatures around the stable. But it seemed now that Shift might do it himself.

Puzzle listened closely to Shift from behind the stable. _Maybe Shift realized what he was doing was wrong. Maybe he saw Tash, and will now join the king's side,_ he thought. But what Shift said next broke Puzzle's heart.

"It was seen last night," Shift continued. "It's…a donkey." Puzzle froze. "A common, miserable donkey. If any of you see it…" the rest of his speech was drowned out by the uproar of the crowd.

"A common, miserable donkey…" Puzzle said to himself. "Is that what I am? I know I'm not very clever, but I thought we were friends." Puzzle shed a wet tear, which rolled down the side of his face.

Jill noticed Puzzle's anguish. "Oh, don't cry Puzzle." Jill said. She placed her arms around Puzzle's neck in a comforting hug. "We know you didn't want to do it."

"Jill is right," King Tirian said. "The ape is a cruel manipulator, and I will see him and his allies killed for these crimes."

"That may be hard to do now, sire," Poggin, the dwarf said. "They told just enough truth to make their lie stronger."

"And our Narnians believe every word," Tirian said.

Puzzle still felt very hurt. He thought back to that day at cauldron pool, where they found that damnable lion skin, and how Shift had made him wear it, and pretend to be Aslan.

Puzzle thought to a few days later, with him standing in the dank, dirty stable, listening to Shift tell the animals what Aslan wanted. How he received nuts, and clothes, and great treasures from his own people.

And he thought back to the moment where Shift had called him a miserable donkey.

_I was only miserable_, Puzzle thought, _when I was with Shift. Oh, why didn't I tell him to stop! Why didn't I come out so this whole mess could end! _The donkey was soon consumed with rage. Rage at him being victimized by his only friend.

Puzzle stomped his hoof in rage. "Shift…" he said to himself. "I now realize you were not my friend at all. And I just let myself be deceived, like everyone else. You have played me along as if I was a dumb beast, and worst of all, you used me to betray Aslan!" Puzzle vowed that he would set things right.

Puzzle's thought was broken with King Tirian's "Swords to the ready," command. It was not long until this last battle would begin. Puzzle vowed that this time, he would do what he knew was right, despite what anybody else said. Tirian rushed forward, and Puzzle followed.

Soon, Puzzle was surrounded by Calormen soldiers. Puzzle kicked and bit and charged, but the soldiers kept coming. With every soldier he sent flying with his hoofs, it seemed two took his place. Before long Puzzle's hind legs and tail were wet with blood; some of it his own. But a new feeling was bursting inside Puzzle.

For the first time in a very long while, Puzzle was not being manipulated; he was no pawn in anybodies plan. The decision to fight was one he had made by himself.

Puzzle couldn't dwell on this thought very long, for he soon felt a sharp pain in his side, and his back legs gave way. With a muffled thump, Puzzle landed on the hard earth. A spear was buried deep in his side. He could not get up. He could barely move. And his life was slowly fading. Blood, red as rubies, flowed down his side to the ground. Puzzle slowly craned his head upward.

The last thing Puzzle saw in Narnia was the deep expanse of the black night sky. He lay there for a brief moment, through labored last breaths. He was no longer under the ape's rule, and soon, no longer under anything in this world. If he had known Shift's manipulation would lead to this, he might have behaved better. He might have never associated with Shift at all. But it was impossible to change the past.

The time was quickly coming upon him, but it was not horrid as you might think. In all of his life, Puzzle never really had freedom. He had almost always known Shift, and it always felt as if Puzzle were chained up by him. Shift had always used him for his own purposes. He made Puzzle feel like a fool. Shift was always the smart one, the planner, and his plans always seemed to involve discomfort on Puzzle's part. Puzzle had always listened to him, because Shift had convinced him that he was not very clever.

In the last moment of his life, Puzzle truly felt like the chains around him were being unlocked, one by one, and lifted off of him. He was of no more use to anyone, save perhaps as some food. But he never would be a victim of someone else's scheming again.

Puzzle's neck could no longer support his head, and it fell to the side. The feet of fighting soldiers were all around his body, moving so much the ground trembled. But no one noticed that one of the figures responsible for the end of the world was now free from his burden. Puzzle, the donkey. It wasn't long before his eyes were too tired to remain open. They slowly closed, and would never open again.


End file.
